Col Alt

Col Alt is a killer climb from Rugolo to a World War II memorial.  I've MTB'ed there before but decided to see if I could do it on Fedaia.  From Sarmede I made it up to about 530 meters but then I was toast.  After hyperventilating awhile I realized I wouldn't make it to the flat spot at 560 meters (turn off to Chiesetta Alpini) so I pushed.  There I remounted and wobbled up the climb to end of pavement at 760 meters.  As you know, the gravel road is even harder to climb, but I made it to the hiking path turn off at 776 meters.  It's grassy single track so I tried to shoulder the 20 lb bike but I was too tired even for that, and had to push it.  I reached the monument at 823 meters, sat down in the shade of the obelisk and ate a piece of cake a friend had given me.   

That revived me so I headed down.  After a brief gravel stretch I reached Strada del Patriarche and coasted down to Villa di Villa and then pedaled home.  Good challenge and I'll try again one day.

Fedaia under trail sign

Col Visentin and Pizzoc

Ridge above Col Alt

Monument to the Partigiani

Too steep for 28 tooth

Zoncolan da Ovaro

Zoncolan is one of the toughest paved climbs in Friuli.  I think only Passo della Forcella from Mione might be tougher.  I tried Ovaro-Zoncolan a couple of years ago and stopped many times to rest (I'd tell you how many but I was too knackered to count).  Anyway I've been riding more hard climbs since then and also installed a 32 tooth granny gear on the Viner.  It was hard but never felt like I would need to stop.

At the top the morning was crystalline with great views in all directions.  I rode back down to Ovaro for the first time- very steep descent.  Highly recommended.

I warmed up with a climb to St Maria Gort on
west bank of Torrente Degano

To the north gorgeous Austrian alps

View west up Val Pesarina 

Northwest toward Forni Avoltri e Sappada

View along the descent

Southwest panorama

Ovaro in Val Degano

I was lucky I started early.  On descent a herd of cows
was heading down the road toward pasture

Steep but climbable

Monte Faverghera

I've ridden most of this before but never all in one day.  After driving to Vittorio Veneto I rode over Sella Fadalto to Lago di Santa Croce.  About halfway around the western shore is a tiny turnoff for Cornolade.   This road ascends fairy steeply, but I tried a new variant from Cornolade Alto to Quantin: mostly above 12%,  which was a good warmup for things to come.

From here I took the main road up to Nevegal.  Not too steep, but things changed above Nevegal.  The road up to Monte Faverghera switchbacks though the trees and ski week rental flats up to around 1400 meters.  I continued up a little higher to look off the cliffs: hazy today but still a pretty sight. After descending past Nevegal take a left toward Ronce.  This paved lane soon turns into strada bianca: a gorgeous winding road through a shady tall fir tree forest.  Eventually it arrives in Ronce, where you follow more beautiful paved lanes across grassy meadows.  Next is the steep descent to Pian del Mont and onward to the bottom at Tassei.

From here you climb somewhat steeply to Valmorel, the start of miles of saliscendi across lovely countryside.  Eventually you sail down the wide hairpins to San Antonio, and join the main road for Passo San Boldo.  Not too steep, even in my tired state.  From here down to the pedemontana and back to Vittorio Veneto.  Very fun.

Lago di Santa Croce from 1400 meters

Strada bianca Via Ronce

The tall fir trees along Via Ronce

Adorable blond-maned mountain horses

Bee collecting wildflower pollen

Beautiful hills above San Antonio

Passo San Boldo tunnels

The climb from lakeshore to Monte Faverghera

Predmeja

I descended from Premedja last year after climbing from Kromberk to Lokve and Mala Lanza.   It stuck in my mind because of the twisty road and good pavement.  So today I tried climbing it from Lokavec instead.  Very wild feeling to it, deserted and not built-up.  At the top I changed the route, descending to Col and then Ajdovscina.  The ridge top ride has lots of saliscendi to workout on.  Then a fun, long and steep descent with good pavement and switchbacks.  Had a nice tailwind on the way back to Gorizia (which had been in my face going the other way).  Love riding in Slovenia, has a different feel to it.  

Ajdovscina from 900 meters

The road ascending from Lokavec  (the cliffs have short tunnels
blasted through them) 

The climb

Via Cate

Via Cate is a traverse between 2 climbs, similar to Panaramica delle Vette.  I reached it by climbing up from Sarone to Il Cansiglio (packed with tourists today) then down to Tambre in Alpago.  Via Cate climbs from here not too steeply to Pianon.  From there the road levels out somewhat and follows the curve of the mountainside to Casera Cate and on to Villagio 1000.  I turned around there because a few years ago I'd climbed to Pian Formosa and was too tired to try that again.  Went back the same way.  Fun ride.
Note: I rode the Viner but never used the 32 cog.  I'm trying to save it for the crazy steep pitches.

View down into Alpago from Via Cate (paravalange)

Monte Messer above

Monte Pastour above Casera Cate

Colorful balcone at Pianon

The climb from Sarone 

Strada del Patriarca

I intended to ride up the killer climb from Rugolo to Col Alt  but the road to Rugolo was impassable so I reversed my tracks.  I explored a short road to Meridiana di Casa Bianca, with some 20% gradient.  The Potenza 11-32 worked like a champ.  Also used it briefly on a little side road called Val Bona above Castello di Cordignano.  I headed up Strada del Patriarca and turned off at Pian di Salere.  Pretty area but I barely saw a fraction of it.  Now I got down to business and rode up Strada del Patriarca to the junction with Cansiglio/Sarone road at 900 meters.  Rode down fast and then home.  

Landslide on road to Rugolo

Olive grove and prosecco vineyard at Meridiana di Casa Bianca

Strada del Patriarca

Chorus 11 compact with 11-32 cassette

When the news broke about Campy's new Potenza 11-32 cassette I ordered one.  Wasn't sure if it would work but it seemed possible.  Also ordered a medium cage Potenza derailleur in case of chain length problems.  Today I finally got around to installing the cassette on Viner Maxima and preliminary testing (ride around the village) seems promising.  All the gears work on small ring and only the 50-32 cross chain is unusable on big ring.  That I never use.  I'll try to give it a proper test tomorrow up some 18-20% grade.

Note: the Potenza lockring is heavy chrome steel, so I tried substituting the Chorus alloy lockring.  Didn't work at first, then I noticed the spacing was different with the Potenza 11-tooth cog and lockring.  With Chorus 11-tooth cog and lockring plus the rest of the Potenza cassette it works great.

 Maybe I'll be able to climb at last

Zoncolan da Sutrio

I intended to climb a new back country route up Zoncolan via Priola, but riding through Priola I never saw the indication for the turn off, so I soon arrived at the big wide road from Sutrio.  I decided to do that climb and look for the other one for next time.  The bottom half until1200 meters is a good steady climb: 8 km averaging 8.4%.

At Zoncolan ski area everything changes and the road becomes a steep twisty narrow lane.  I managed to finish without stopping, but just barely.  The final stretch to the cycling memorial and  road coming up from Ovaro slew me.  Luckily I forgot my misery when I saw the views from the gravel road along the ridge at 1730 meters.

Very fun fast descent on the wider tires with discs.  Great workout.

View west from top of climb

Close up of Val Pesarina

Close up of valley climbing to Forni Avoltri

Peaks along Austrian border rising above Monte Crostis ridgeline

Looking down at Zoncolan ski area at 1200 meters 

Found the top of road from Priola but it has an
 order posted closing it. Maybe I'll try again later.

The steepness is concentrated in the top end 

Via Guitcillo da Montanara

A big storm blew away all the haze last night; now the sky is crisp and clear.  I rode Fedaia to Sarmede, up the hill to Rugolo and on to Montaner.  Here you find a side street marked Via Guitcillo da Montanara and head upward.  Almost immediately I hit a 19% wall which I stood in the pedals for.  The gradient drops down to mid teens which I sustained until 450 meters, then I hopped off and walked to the next switchback end.  I thought I would have to do this repeatedly but as it turned out I stopped only that one time.  

Eventually you reach a grassy path and continue up through the houses till 850 meters.  A man in front of the last house said the road finishes here.  I asked if I could walk through the woods carrying my bike: he said I could try.  So I went up past the hunting blind, through the thorny blackberry bushes and up a stack of rocks till joining the gravel road (to Villagio, the man had said).  

I tried another road hoping to find a way to bypass the portage in future, but it dead ended.  So I headed up the gravel road then down until reaching the main highway from Vittorio Veneto to il Cansiglio.  Here I headed down quickly to Osigo, traversed to Montaner and took the shortcut down to Sarmede.   Great ride on a gorgeous day. 

The unmarked, uncleared 120 meter climb to the gravel road

The view to the west

Southwest view, with Colli Euganei on horizon (south of Padova)

Steep climb

Monte Crostis

It's been a couple of years since I last visited Monte Crostis, Panaramica delle Vette, and the descent to Ravascletto,  one of the most beautiful areas in Friuli IMO.  The climb is hard but the huge fir trees and scenic views of valleys and surrounding mountains keep you motivated.  At the top you descend a bit then join the panaramica, with miles of packed red gravel traversing steep grassy slopes, shrieking marmots, waterfalls and wildflowers.  Eventually you reach the paved descent to Ravascletto, yet more spectacular scenery.  This descent was a good check ride for retorque of the Fedaia's front brake rotor center lock ring.  It was clunking under hard braking, presumable snugged down with a gear cluster tool but never torqued.  Now it's rock solid.   

If you're in the area check Crostis out.  Really an outstanding ride. 

Looking back toward Comeglians and Valdegana

View back toward the top of the climb

Gorgeous grassy slopes surrounding an old casera

Marmots loudly spreading news of danger

The ridge coming up from Val delle  Streghe; last year
I tried to MTB from  Paluzza to the panaramica.  Must try again.  

I'm guessing WW I tunnel entrance
near start of descent to Ravascletto 

Max grade is wrong; should read 18%